How to Fix a Toilet Without a Plunger

Written by damon koch| 13/05/2017

A wire hanger can be used as a toilet auger to remove a blockage. (Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images)

The drain hole on a toilet is small and is easily blocked with debris. Sometimes the blockage is a foot or two into the toilet's plumbing. Normally a plunger is enough to push the blockage out of the toilet's plumbing. This allows the debris to move into the home's plumbing, where the pipe is larger and better able to handle the debris. If there is no plunger available, there is still a way to break up the debris and move it along.

Fixing a toilet without a plunger

Straighten out a wire coat hanger (Comstock/Stockbyte/Getty Images)

Straighten out a wire coat hanger except for the hooked end that normally would hang on a clothes rod. Squeeze that end together into a small loop.

Stick the hanger as far down as you can (David De Lossy/Digital Vision/Getty Images)

Stick the loop end into the drain at the bottom of the toilet bowl as far as you are able.

Grip the hanger (Jupiterimages/Creatas/Getty Images)

Hold the hanger with one hand just above the top of the water in the bowl. Grasp the hanger tight enough to secure it but loose enough so it turns freely in your hand.

Turn the hanger whilst pushing it in and out (Digital Vision./Digital Vision/Getty Images)

Grasp the hanger with your other hand about 6 to 8 inches above your first hand. Turn the hanger with your back hand and allow the hanger to twist in your front hand. As you turn the hanger, allow it to twist further into the drain. Work the hanger in and out of the drain by pulling it and pushing it, while turning it at the same time.

Flush the toilet and repeat the process if needs be (Ryan McVay/Photodisc/Getty Images)

Flush the toilet and repeat the process with the hanger if the drain does not appear to be completely unblocked. Eventually the blockage will be broken up by the hanger and flushed out of the toilet's plumbing.